Book calls JMM a terror group, party demands ban, apology

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Wednesday demanded an immediate ban on a higher secondary text book in Orissa which allegedly described the party as an extremist organisation and sought an unconditional apology from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Demanding an unconditional apology from Patnaik, JMM General Secretary Ramesh Hansda said threatened to disrupt all trade and commerce activities of Orissa government in Jharkhand and West Bengal, if its demand was not met.

"Although JMM is a registered political party that has been taking part in democratic process for decades, it has been branded in the category of terror outfits," he said in Jamshedpur.

Such misinformation about JMM will spread hatred in the society, he said and claimed that "blunder" committed by the publishers, Orissa State Bureau of Text Book, was "a criminal offence".

Hundreds of party activists led by Hansda set ablaze an effigy of the Orissa government.

Later, JMM supremo Shibu Soren wrote to Patnaik demanding deletion of the controversial lines in the book which said "Pakistan, extremist groups, Bodo, Maoists, Naxalism, JMM and Kashmir have been the country's problems".

In his letter, a copy of which was released to the media at Ranchi, he said, "I was stunned after reading the report about the book, 'Prayogic Odiya Bhasa, page 127'. We have cordial neighbourly relations with Orissa. Such reports could affect relations. Please take immediate steps and delete the lines."

Soren said the JMM was the voice of poor Adivasis in the fight against exploitation and oppression.

"It was because of the sacrifice by JMM that Jharkhand was carved out as a separate state," the former chief minister claimed.

He demanded a probe and punishment for those responsible for the controversial portion.